Safety signal



5. E. ALLEN SAFETY SIGNAL Dec. 14, 1943.

Filed March 6, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor Attorney 5. E. ALLEN Dec. 14, 1943.

SAFETY SIGNAL Filed March 6, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Im'mlor Patented Dec. 14, 1943 UNlTED STATES PATENT GFFlCE SAFETY SIGNAL Stephen Emmitt Allen, El Centro, Calif.

Application March 6, 1941, Serial No. 382,073

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in safety signals for motor vehicles, particularly buses and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device of this character which is adapted to be expeditiously installed for operation on the rear of a bus for warning the operators of approaching vehicles and others that passengers are being loaded or unloaded.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide a safety vehicle signal of the aforementioned character comprising a motor driven oscillating arm for attracting attention thereto, the motor being under the control of the operator of the vehicle.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a vehicle safety signal of the character described which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly efficient and reliable in use, compact, attactive in appearance and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a safety signal constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing the device mounted on the body of a bus with the signaling arm in operation.

Figure 2 is an elevational View, looking at the outer side of the device.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional View, taken substantially on the line i4 of Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a housing or casing of suitable material which is designated generally by the reference numeral I. The casing I' includes a substantially segmental, flat upper portion 2 and a lower portion 3 of the shape shown to advantage in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. The casing I further includes a fiat, vertical inner side wall for abutting the body 5 of the vehicle, to which said casing I is firmly secured in any suitable manner. The outer side of the lower portion 3 of the casing I is formed to provide a narrow, vertically elongated opening 6 the purpose of which will be presently set forth.

Mounted on the back of the upper portion 2 of the casing I is an electric motor 7. The motor I is to receive electric current from the usual storage battery of the vehicle. A suitable switch for controlling the electric motor I is to be provided within convenient reach of the operator of the vehicle.

The shaft 8 of the electric motor 7 extends into the upper portion 2 of the housing I and has fixed thereon a gear 9. Journaled in the upper portion 2 of the housing I are parallel shafts II] and I I. Fixed to the shaft It, on one side of the gear I2, is a comparatively small gear is. The gear I3 meshes with and drives a comparatively large gear I4 which is fixed to the shaft l I. Also fixed to the shaft II, on one side of the gear I4, is an eccentric I5.

Journaled in the upper part of the portion 3 of the housing I is a shaft I 5 having fixed thereon a gear I'i. Also fixed on the shaft It is a signalling arm 58 which, when inoperative, is suspended in the lower portion 3 of the housing I. A rack bar 59 meshes with the gear H and is provided on its upper end with a follower Eli which is journaled on the eccentric 55. A guide 2| in the housing I retains the rack bar IS in engagement with the gear ll.

It is thought that the operation of the device will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, when the electric motor 7 is energized the eccentric I5 is actuated by the shafts 8, It and I I and the train of gears thereon. In this manner the rack bar i9 is actuated for rotating the gear IT with the shaft [6 alternately in opposite directions. Thus, the arm I8 is swung out of the lower portion 3 of the housing I and oscillated substantially in the manner suggested in Figure 1 of the drawings. As will be readily apparent, the oscillation of the signal arm I8 attracts attention thereto. The arm I8 swings into and out of the lower portion 3 of the housing I through the opening 6. Suitable bumpers 22 are provided in the lower portion of the housing I for cushioning the arm it when it returns to inoperative position. The arm It may be provided with any suitable indicia, such as the word Stop.

It is believed that the many advantages of a safety signal constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

A signalling device comprising a substantially flat housing having a slot in one edge, a shaft transversely in the inner end of the slot having a signal secured thereto for swinging outwardly of the slot, a closed chamber in one side of the housing, said shaft projecting into the chamber,

a motor housing secured to the outer side of the first-named housing adjacent the chamber, a motor enclosed in the motor housing and also having a shaft projecting into the chamber, and an operating connection between the first and second shafts enclosed in the chamber for oscillating the signal.

STEPHEN ENEMITT ALLEN. 

